Colleges Largely Maintain Test-Optional Admissions for 2027-2028 Cycle

A new report indicates that the majority of colleges and universities will continue with test-optional or test-free admissions policies for the 2027-2028 academic year. While some highly selective institutions are reinstating standardized testing, 86.4% of schools will remain test-optional and 3.6% test-free. This trend suggests that the broader shift away from mandatory SAT/ACT scores persists for most applicants.